Reasons why you need to install brand guidelines

Brand guidelines are a set of unique tools and rules consisting of your branding elements and how to use them. The guidelines are used by designers, copywriters, and anyone else that might be required to use your brands elements to create marketing tools. Essentially, it’s a toolbox to tap into that sings the song of your brands ethos, values and mission statement. 

Brand guidelines are created once a logo, colour palette, brand voice, and a whole heap of other brand elements are established. 

And most importantly, never say never! It is important to remember that it is never too late to establish brand guidelines. Whether you’re just starting out or have a business already in full swing, brand guidelines will always help your brand and not hinder when given the correct considerations.

Without brand guidelines in place you’re at risk of setting sail without a clear destination. Campaigns, publications, advertisements need and should be consistent in the way your brand is presented to the consumer. A clear set of brand guidelines will ensure focused delivery and help to create a strong brand identity and a sense of cohesion. A focused approach will deliver clarity for not only your customer but for you as well, and as a result confidence in who you are and what you stand for. Which brings us on to…

When there is repetition, a strong brand identity and cohesion across all of your brand elements it creates a feeling of exclusivity and premium. Even for new businesses it gives a feeling of the brand already having been established with a clear and unique product or service. Your brand will appear reliable and your reputation will grow and build. Strong brand guidelines are the foundation, the tools and the roadmap to maintaining the quality and integrity of your brands image. 

Brand guidelines ensure that when it comes to branching out and advertising yourself that your business is able to transition across a variety of different mediums. Your brand elements will be available to deliver any marketing strategy and call to action in a considered, strategic and professional way. Through your brand guidelines, the values of your business, your ethos and your unique brand personality shine through. They are essentially a representation of all your business stands for and the way in which you want to convey yourself to the outside world and how you operate. 

In order to establish an appropriate set of brand guidelines for your business there is an understanding and process to go through to understand your business demographic. The who, what, why of the type of people that will buy the product or service from you. An understanding of your demographic together with your brand personality, values and mission statement will help in honing down an appropriate colour palette, logo and typography for your business. 

The colour choice within your brand guidelines should not be underestimated. They are strong and impactful, and the right or wrong colour choice will have an effect on the type of emotions your customer feels and the experience they have in interacting with you. A well thought out colour palette will give you a set of colour combinations that will transcend across the business and brand, it is where the first subconscious impressions of your business are based.

Would you like your business to come across as warm, laidback, and approachable? Or professional, direct and bold? Two very different impressions of a business and two brand personalities that can be told through the choice of typography alone. Your logo could be one typography, your marketing material another but together there should be synergy, legibility and a true representation of who you are. 

Once your logo is designed, there should be clear guidelines in terms of when to use your logo. The minimum or maximum size that the logo should be used. The placement that is required if it is to be consistent and uniform. The colour variations if there are any, and what not to do with the logo. All important considerations and points of understanding once you have a logo under your wing. 

Your brand personality will have a certain tone of voice that you would like your customers to feel. The language that is used, the informal or formal approach to writing will all have an impact on the tone that is portrayed. Unity should be paramount across all of your brand guidelines and tone of voice should bring a clear message to your audience of what your brand personality is.